Window-shade roller



I. SHEPPARD.

WINDOW SHADE ROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT- 15. I918.

' I III Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

III 1 9 IIIII I I I ATTORNEYS v JOHN SHEPPARD, OF WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA. I

WINDOW-SHADE ROLLER} Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Nov. 11, 1919.

Application filed October 15, 1918. Serial No. 258,165.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SHEPPARD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of \Vinston-Salem, in the county of Forsyth and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Window-Shade Rollers, of which the followin is a specification.

y invention relates to improvements in window-shade rollers, and it consists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a shade-roller that can be raised or lowered and held in the desired position by a frictionally operating mechanism, certain improvements in said frictionally operating mechanism constituting more particularly one of the important features of the invention.

Another object of the invention is to provide a peculiarly. made bracket, which c0- acts with said frictionally operating mechanism in such a manner as to prevent the shade roller spindle from riding out of the bracket.

A further object of the invention is to provide means in a shade roller for preventing the tearing of the shade from the roller by reason of pulling the shade down too far.

A still further object of the invention is to provide anovel window-shade having a plurality of openings with tapered portions near the top, whereby the room can be illuminated in varying degrees by daylight when the shade is fully drawn.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is an elevation of a shade roller constructed in accordance with my invention, the shade being fully drawn to show the light openings at the top,

Fig. 2 is a section of the right end of the roller to illustrate the improved friction mechanism,

Fig. 3 is an end view of the friction mechanism,

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2,

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the left end of the roller, showing the locking means for preventing the shade from being torn off the roller,

Fig. 6 is an end view of the parts in Fig. 5, and

I 7 is a detail sectional view of a slight modification of. the construction in Fig. 4, to be hereinafter more fully described.

. The shade 1 is fixed at one end to the roller 2 in any approved and customary manner. The shade winding or rolling mechanism at the left end, embodies means whereby the shade 1 is prevented from being torn offof the roller in drawing it all the way down. The friction mechanism at the right end operates to hold'the shade 1 in any desired position whatever within the limits of the capability for raising and lowering the shade.

The shade roller 2 has an axial recess or bore 3 at the right end as shown in Fig. 2. This bore provides the recess in which the greater part of the spring 4 is housed. The sprlng t has a projection 5 on the inner end, by means of which the spring is fixed on the base of the bore 3.

The outer end of the spring terminates in a lug 6 by means of which the spring is attached to the inner friction disk 7. The function of the lug 6 is of considerable importance, because it secures a permanent attachment between the disk and spring, and

avoids the circular track that would otherwise inevitably be worn on the exposed surface of the disk, were the connection between the two loose. v

A spindle 8 is driven into the end of the roller 2 and in the center of the bore 3. The

head 9 of the spindle has a notch 10 which receives the lug 11 of the outer friction disk 12, and prevents this disk from turning with respect to the spindle. The inner edges of both friction disks are beveled at a to facilitate the fitting of this end of the shade roller on the right shade bracket 13. If desired, the edge of the rounded part of the shade bracket may be beveled to effect the same result. However, it is not thought necessary to illustrate this feature since it can otherwise be readily understood.

The action of the spring 4 is to press the inner friction disk 7 against the bracket 13, the shade roller 2 being the base against which the spring rests. This same action causes the drawing in of the outer friction disk 12 against the bracket 13, by virtue of the connection of the spindle 8 with the end of the roller and is slightly turned into the bore 8 to make a neater appearing end.

An offset seat 15 at the base of the slot 16 in the bracket 13 into which the spindle 8 is set, provides a shoulder 17 .at the top. This shoulder serves to prevent the spindle 8 from riding out of the slot by virtue of the frictional contact of the friction disks with the bracket, when the shade is raised and lowered.

This offset arrangement of the seat 15 can be substituted by embossing the bracket 13 at 15 in Fig. 7 and similarly embossing the inner friction disk 7 at 7. The friction disk thus sets upon the bracket with a locking contact that under ordinary circumstances prevents the roller from rising. Otherwise the friction mechanism in Fig. 7 is the same as in Fig. 2.

A spindle with a head 18 is driven into the left end of the roller 2, similarly as is the spindle 8 in the right end. The spindle 18 occupies the offset seat 19 in the slot 20 of the bracket 21, and the shoulder formed by the offset seat prevents the spindle from riding up under the circumstances explained in connection with the spindle 8.

The shade raising cord 22 is wound on a small drum 23 at the left end of the roller, and the free end of the cord hangs down in convenient reach as shown in Fig. l. A relatively heavy ring 24 is carried by the cord. The cord passes through the eyelet 25 of a swinging lock arm 26 which is pivoted on the spindle 18 between the bracket 21 and a boss 27 on the adjacent side of the drum.

This boss 27 is important because it prevents the rattling noise which would otherwise occur were the lock arm 26 hung loosely in place. There is no wear on the cord 22 at the eyelet 25. The lock arm 26 swings freely and there is a direct pull on the cord between the drum and the hand of the operator when drawing the shade up.

The ring 24 serves a two-fold purpose. First, it co-acts with the arm 26 in preventing the shade 1 from being drawn down too far, thus tearing the shade from the roller. For this purpose a stop 28 is bent in from the bracket 21. When the ring 24 reaches the top, as it will when the shade 1 is drawn down to the bottom, it will strike the eyelet 25, swing the locking arm 26 out until it strikes the stop 28 as shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the cord 22 is prevented from further winding on the drum 23 and consequently the shade 1 is down as far as it will go.

Ordinarily the upper end of the shade has one or two windings on the roller, and these are sufiicient in addition to the customary fastening, to prevent the shade from being pulled off. The second purpose .of the comparatively heavy ring 24, is that in suddenly pulling the shade 1 down the ring 24 being comparatively heavy as 'just stated, acts as a weight on the cord and prevents it from flying off the drum 23 as it would do were the cord unrestrained. The weight of the ring also causes the cord to wind more evenly on the drum.

There is also a purpose in heading the spindles of the shade roller, instead of leaving them plain' as is now universally the practice. It has been demonstrated by actual experimentation, that one or both of the brackets becoming loose even to the extent of losing one of the screws or nails, will be held stable and the shade roller will be prevented from falling out of the brackets. The heads of the spindles accomplish this purpose.

It may be stated in closing that the arrangement of the locking arm 26 is not confined to the particular showing in the drawing. The locking arm may be mounted in a hole 29 in the bracket 21 with the same operatin result. It is preferable however, to include the locking arm with the shade roller, so that the purchaser need not thread the cord through the eyelet.

A plurality of openings 30 are out near the upper end of the shade. The upper parts of the openings have parallel sides, but the lower parts taper to points at 31. It is a common experience, especially where dwellings are built close together, that adjoining occupants will peer into the window to the annoyance of the person in question. To draw the shade down all the way, means that the light must be turned on because of the darkening of the room.

The objections of the ordinary shade are overcome by the use of my invention. The degree of illumination of the room when the shade 1 is drawn down, may be regulated by the amount of exposure, of the openings 30. If the openings 30 are exposed only a little, correspondingly little light will be let into the room.

It has been found in actual practice, that the outer friction disk 12 may be left off and the same results are obtained by employing the head 9 of the spindle 8 as the outer friction member. Obviously the permanent connection of the outer friction disk with the head 9 through themedium of the lug 11 and slot 10, virtually constitutes an enlarged head on the spindle, so that it is optional whether or not the friction disk 12 is used.

It may also be stated that there. is an object of no little importance, in almost completely concealing the spring 4 in the recess. This arrangement keeps the length of the shade roller within substantially the usual bounds, and also obviates the possibility of the shade becoming entangled with the spring, as it might do were much of the spring exposed. It can also be readily seen that if it were found desirable to transfer the windin mechanism to the friction locking mechanlsm end of the roller, or to add another spring to the winding mechanism end, the concealed feature of the spring Would at once avoid the objection of the entanglement of the cord in the coils of the spring.

While the construction and arrangement of the window-shade roller and its cooperating parts is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. A shade roller having a recess at one end, a spindle affixed to the roller at the base of the recess, a head provided with a notch. on the exposed end of the spindle; a friction disk having a lug occupymg the notch to cause the disk to turn with the spindle and shade roller, a companion friction disk, and a spring concealed in the recess, said spring having a projection at the inner end for fixing it to the shade roller, and a lug at the other end to form a permanent attachment to the companion friction disk to afford a permanent fixture of the disk on the spring and prevent the scoring of a circular track on said friction disk.

2. A shade roller having a recess at one end, a spindle having a head with a notch, fixed in the shade roller concentrically of the recess; a fiat friction disk abutting the head and having a lug occupying a notch to carry the disk with the spindle, a companion fiat friction disk with an aperture, and a spring concealed in the recess, fixed at one end in the base of the recess and having a lug at the other end fixed flush with the wearing surface of the companion friction disk at the other end, said spring serving to draw the friction disks together.

8. The combination of a shade roller having a headed spindle with an outer flat friction disk locked on the head, an inner flat friction disk springpressed against the outer disk, the inner edges of both disks being beveled; and a shade roller bracket having a notch with an offset seat to form an. upper shoulder, and prevent the spindle from riding out of the notch in rotating the shade roller, by virtue of the frictional contact of the flat friction disks on the sides of aid bracket.

4. A shade roller having a spindle fixed in one end, a head on the spindle, an outer flat friction disk locked to turn with the head and arranged to engage one side of a shade roller bracket, a spring-pressed inner fiat friction disk arranged to bear on the other side of said bracket, the spring of said disk being concealed in the end of the roller and positively fixed to the roller and disk at the respective ends; a spindle fixed in the other end of the roller, and a head on said spindle to engage a second shade roller bracket, said head cooperating with the friction disks and head at the other end of the roller in preventing the shade roller from falling out should one or both of the brackets become very loose.

5. A shade roller having friction locking mechanism at one end, said mechanism comprising the combination of a fixed spindle with a fixed friction disk having a beveled edge, a loose friction disk having a similarly beveled edge to facilitate fitting on a bracket, a spring concealed in the end of the roller and fixed to the roller and the loose friction disk at its respective ends, a shade roller bracket having a notch with an offset seat providing an upper shoulder to prevent the spindle from riding out; and a shade rolling mechanism at the other end comprising the combination of a drum, a cord wound on the drum, a spindle, a locking arm on the spindle having an eyelet receiving the cord, a curtain bracket having a sto for the locking arm, a head on the spind e engaging the bracket, means on the drum engaging the. arm to prevent rattling, and weighted means carried by the cord to insure even winding on the drum and to engage the eyelet to lock the cord from further rolling for the purpose described.

6. A shade roller, having a spring concealed in one end, a spindle fixed in the shade roller, a friction disk affixed to the exposed end of the spindle, and a companion frictlon disk afiixed to the spring and pressed against the first frictipn disk by said spring.

7. The combination of a shade roller having a friction locking mechanism co-actmg with a fixed curtain bracket at one end, a shade rolling mechanism co-acting with a fixed bracket at the other end, a shade on the roller provided with a plurality of light openings near the top to obtain various degrees of illumination of a room according to the amount of exposure of the openings when the shade is drawn, and a locking arm cooperating with a part of the shade roller mechanism and the fixed bracket thereof, to prevent pulling the shade down farther than the limit of exposure of said openings and tearing the shade from the roller.

JOHN SHEPPARD. 

